


He Can't Help It

by ActWriteLoveDie



Category: Mass Effect
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-01
Updated: 2013-02-01
Packaged: 2017-11-27 18:36:06
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/665159
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ActWriteLoveDie/pseuds/ActWriteLoveDie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sometimes Steve forgets where he is when he’s behind the figurative wheel of the Kodiak. It’s nothing serious, usually- it’s just a little case of adrenaline getting the best of him and Cortez losing himself for a bit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	He Can't Help It

The smell of burning debris, the sounds of missed shots whizzing by as he lands just long enough for Shepard, Vega and Williams to clamber in to the shuttle with hurried steps then taking off again with more gun fire than before now that he’s an even more valuable target… its hard to not get a little lost.

The sounds of a Ravager’s aimed blasts are to Cortez’ six and he can see a Harvester swooping in at 10 o’clock. He can handle this. The Kodiak isn’t meant for the level of evasive maneuvering as he’s planning on pulling off but if anyone knows his way around this flying brick, it’s Steve. He’s going to use his know-how to get them out in one piece.

“Everyone hold on tight!” He calls out as he turns the shuttle and heads it straight at the Harvester, dead on..

Williams is the first to question him. “Lt, what are you-”  

“I’ve got this, don’t worry.” He calls out as his hands move over the terminal, putting most of the energy for the shields towards the front and back of the shuttle. The Harvester isn’t firing though, it’s mostly hovering in place, waiting for the Kodiak to come to it.

“Lieutenant,” Shepard’s commanding voice demands his attention, “what the hell do you think you’re doing?”

“You might want to be sitting down for this, Commander.” His voice is stone cold serious but there’s a grin pulling at the corner of his mouth.

 _BOOM-_  
  
The first hit from the Ravager hits just as they’re getting close enough to the Harvester to start making Cortez get anxious. He knows this’ll work. He did this type of thing in the Trident all the time. He’s not in one now, but…

Cortez pushes that thought away as he cuts the powers to the thrusters, making the Kodiak start to fall. 

“Esteban, what the fu-“

_BOOM. BOOM._

Ravagers and their predictability. They always fire in threes and can’t seem to move much from their current trajectory once they start. The Harvester takes the two shots from the Reaper ground unit’s twin artillery cannons straight to the face and starts to fall, flailing uselessly.

Cortez is already reigniting the thrusters, trying to get the ship moving in any direction that isn’t down. Everyone’s holding their breaths until the familiar sound roars to life and they’re heading towards the Normandy yet again.

“Lieutenant, you pull another trick like that and we’re going to have a serious talk.”

“Aye, aye, Commander.” Steve replies, doing his best to sound contrite. “It won’t happen again.”

He knew what he was doing. There wasn’t a moment he wasn’t in control of the situation. Still, the thrill behind it has the adrenaline pumping through his veins and a full blown smile across his lips. 

He can’t help it- he’s a fighter pilot, through and through.


End file.
